Self-raising seat



/N VEN TOR BER/VA fep J. DE VER.

BV o

A TT ORNE Y 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTO/a Decn 1s, 192s. B. J. DEVER l SELF R'AISING SEAT Filed Dec. 13,4926

BER/VAQD Dave-Ae f A TTORNEY Dec. V18, 1928. 1,695,800

B. J. BEVER SELF RAISING SEN;

Filed pas; 1s, 192e s sheets-sheet. 3

INVENT'OR BER/wazap J.' DE VER Fatented Dec. 18, 1928.

irso v:STM

ss fgPAiENT OFFICE.

BiiiitivARnv '.T. Diivnn, oF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

snLr-nAi'sINe SEAT.'

Application.iedviieember 13, 192e. serial No. 154,456.

This invention relates 'particularly lto chairs adapted tor use in theatres, auditoriumsand the like.

An object of the invention is achairk having'a seat thereon, normally stand which may be manually` placed into initial and secondary sitting positions, to allow a personto sit thereon, and whichwill automatically return itself to anupright posito provide which will tion after the weight of A,the person seated' to provide a chair with an automaticseat raising mechanism thereon -so arranged.A that saidseat may be placedl in an initial sitting positionwto receive the weight of a person thereon, and which after the seat has .received the weight of a personv thereon, is released rom a secondary sitting v,position and restored to a substantially vertical position. 1

and 7 loosely mounted on the trunnions 4 Other objects of the invention are to provide a chair :with a seat raising mechanism thereonwwhich will be superior inpoint of simplicity and.' inexpensiveness of const-roch tion,` positiveness of operation, facility and convenience in use and general ,.eftioiency..

ln this" specication and the' annexed drawings, the invention is illustrated in the form considered tofbe the best, but it Ais, Vto be understood that the invention is not limited to such orm, because it may be einbodicd in other forms, and it is also .to bo understood that in and by the claims following the description, it is desired to cover the invention in whatsoever form it Amay be embodied. f f" In the accompanying ings,

Fig.` l represents a vertical sectiontaken through a chairhaving an. automaticimechanisi'n for raising the seat thereon, constructed irr'falccordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged section takenA on Athe j line 2-2 oit Fig-f5, showing a seat raising mechanism constructed in accordance with my invention in the inoperativey position.

3 is a vertical sect-.ion throughthe in anupright position, and

the invention is toy posits sides 'arrow A, the spring mechanism placed onv the oppositel side of the seatto which the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 is placed, to assist in raising the seat into l a vertical position.

Fig. 4 is a section similar to Fig'. 2 showin the mechanism in the vsitting or operative position. Y

Fig.- 5 is a section taken through Fig. 2 on-the line 5 5.

' Fig. 6 `is a section of the seat pivot taken through Fig. `5 on the line 6 6.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan section taken onthe line 7-7 of Fig. 2. y

' Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken through Fig. 2 on the line 8`-8.

In detail, he constructionv illustrated yin .y

thedrawings comprises a chair `formed of the opposite sidestands. l, connected by the baclQ. A.The chair back and sides are conventional, andk no portion of, my invention j concernsitselt with any .specific type of,

chair back or chair side.` A seat 3 is arranged between the side supports 1 and is pivotally mountedV on the res ective trunnions i and 4;" secured to eaci of the op-l 1., A bracket 5 ,is'provided on l each-fof the opposite-'bottom edges of the seat 3, each'brackethaving anjarm 6 thaty orojeots therefrom into spring housingsf and secondary-sitting positions.

The seat mountings, ad'acent the `trunnions on each of the oppositesides ofthe seat, are dierentin construction. On'one side of the seat I mount av spring housing 7 to pivot about the trunnion 4 between the seatedge and one sidesupport 1,

shown in Fig. 3. A clock or spiralA spring 9 is arranged around the trunnion 4 within th-ehousing 7. One end of the spring 9 engages; the trunnion 4, while the opposite end of the spring engages a latch l() on the housing 7. The latch 10 is adjustable between-the spring end and housing, so that the tensionofthe spring may be regulated. The arm '6' on thebracket 5 on the seat enn gages-theend 8 of ther spring'housing 7 yso that when-the seat is 4moved into the initialv sitting position, from the vertical position shown 'in Fig. 3, inthe direction of the ifatedk about the trunniony it to wind the i 1o housingl 7 ,will he rospring 9, When the seat is placedin the initial sitting position, at or about an angie of 80 from the vertical position, the weight oi' the seat and the leverage exerted thereby on the seat fulcrum will be suiiicient to retain said seat in the initial sitting position and to overcome the unwinding action of the spring which might otherwise tend to restore said seat to the vertical position, The spring 9 is used primarily to maintain the seat in the vertical, inoperative position or to assist the spring 13 on the opposite side of the seat to raise the seat from the secondary sitting position back into the vertical, inoperative position',

On the opposite side oit' theseat 3 adjacent the trunnion 4 I have arranged my seat raising a paratus. The arm (i that extends from t e seat bracket 5 engages the end 12 oi the spring housing 7. My invention relates particularly to means adjacent the trunnion 4 and between the seat side 1 and seat bracket 5 to automatically raise or returnv the seat to an upright position, after a weight that has been applied lto said seat, (when in a substantially horizontal position, causing said seat to be depressed from an initiall seating position into a secondary sitting position) has been removed to restore the seat 'from the lsecondary sitting position to the vertical inoperative position. Toaccoinplish this raising oi the seat Iu provide a clock or spiral spring 1.3 within the housing 7. One end o'f the spring 13 is secured to the trunnion 4 while the opposite end oi' the spring is secured to a latch 14 that extends from one side oa 'disc or plate 15 that is journaled on the trunnion 4 adjacent the spring 13.

The housing T covers one side ofthe spring 13 while the disc 15 covers the opposite side of the said spring.

An arm 16 is pivoted at 1"?" to the inside i'ace of one of the seat supports 1. A link 17 is pivot-ed at 18 to the i'ree end of the arm 16 while the opposite end oi the link 17 isy pivoted at 19 to a face of the disk 15 that is mounted on the trunnion 4. In Fig. 2 I have shown the seat 3 and spring housing 7 in a substantially vertical position and in readiness to be moved into the horizontal sitting position. AVilben the seat is swung downward into the sitting position, the arm 6 on' the seat Vengages the end 12 of the spring housing 7 and lmoves the spring housing 7` in the direction oit' the arrow B until such time as the said spring housing 7 reaches the dotted position shown in 2 which is the initial Vsitting position. The spring 9, shown in Fig. 3, is not of suiiicient strength to return the y seat to the upright position, and hence the weight of the seat will causeit to remain yin the dotted .horizontal position shown in Fig. 2, in contact with a projection 20 on the arm 16. rIhe projection 20 is padded at 21 so that no noise will result fromY contact with the end 12 of the spring housing 7. rlhe unwound spring 13, through the disc 15, links 17 and arm 16, will resist any articulating movement of the assembly due tothe engagement oie the spring housing .7 with the projection-20 on the arm 16.

In Fig. 1, I have shown the initial and' secondary sitting positions` of the seat by Vdotted lines, andin Fig. 2 I have shown an enlarged view of the part-s oi' the seat raising mechanism 1n the initial sitting position. When the seat is in the initial position, it is ready to loe-'sat upon. 1V hen the weight oi' a person is lapplied to the seat in the initial position, the seat is depressed into the secondary sitting position, which causes the spring housing 7 t0 Vengage the projection 2O on the arm 6 to move the articulated parts of the seat raising mechanism into the position shown in Fig. 4, thereby winding housing 7 shown by dotted lines'in Fig. 2,

shows it to be engaged `with thepadded bracket 2O on the arm 16. By subsequently depressing the seat into the secondary sitting position, the arm 16 is swung by the seat movement into the position shown in Fig. 4, causing the vlink 17 to rotate the disk 15 around ,thetrunnion 4', and tovw'ind the spring 13." In unison with the rotary niove-v ment of the disk 15 and the spring 13,'a dog 22 that is pivoted at 23 to the inside ot the spring housing 7 is engaged with a projection 24 on the disk `15. vldhen the spring housing 7 isgmoved into the initial sitting position, shown'by :dotted lines', in Fig.y 2, the dog 22 is moved therewithV and allowed to drop (into the dotted Vposition shown in Fig. 2) in Contact with. the periphery of the disk 15. The connected levers 16 and 17 are actuated and the spring is wound by the seat 3 moving from theinitial into `the secondary` sitting position. Likewise the jdisk 15 is rotated relative to the dog 22 to move the projection 2,4 on said disk from beneath the under edge of the dog 22 toallow the end of said dog to drop behind the projection 24. t Y Y A,

Y The seat raising mechanism-will stay 1n .the secondary sitting position until such time as the weight ofthe person on the seat is removed therefrom.v Then the .person arises from the seat, the spring 13 will unwind, to rotate the projection 24 on the disk isc 15 into contact with the end of the dog 22 to consequently rotate the dog and spring housing 7', yin the direction of the arrow C, until such time as the seat arrives in the vertical .inoperative position. The spring `9, shown in Fig. 3, assists the spring 13, shown in Figs. 2 and 5, in elevating theseat fromthe secondary sitting position into the ele-` vated inoperative position. i

I have provided a guide pin 25 on the spring housing 7 to engage the dog 22 and to prevent said dog from falling into a position where it may be inoperative. I have provided a pad or stopv 26 to engage the end of t-he bracket 5 on the seat to stop said seat in a proper vertical position. Y

The leverage obtained by moving the seat from the vertical into the horizontal posi# tion is sufficient to wind the springs on the opposite sides of the seat, and the tension of the wound springs is su'iicient to cause the seat to be raised, at such time when the moving force is removed from said seat. T he unwinding of the springs about the trunnions would not be suicient to raisethe seat, hence it is necessary to provide the dog 22 actuated by the unwinding spring, to apply the spring energy to the extended end of the spring housing, which produces sufficient leverage to raise the seat from the horizontal to the vertical position.

Having what I claimV and vdesire to secure by Letters Patent is: s A

1. `In combination a chair frame having a seat pivotally mounted thereon; Aa disc rothereof secured tatably mounted on the seat pivot; a spiral spring around theseat pivotV having one end to said pivot and the other end secured to the disci; a jointed arm having one end pivotally secured to the chair frame and the other end pivotally secured to the disc; means on the chair seat to engage the jointed arm to move the arm and disc to wind the spring as the seat is swung from a vertical to a horizontal position; and means interposed between the wound spring and seat to'swing the seat from a horizontal to a vertical position. n

2f. In combination a chair frame having a seat pivotally mounted thereon; a disev rotatably mounted on the seat pivot; a spiral spring around the seat pivot having one end thereof secured to said pivotand the other end secured to the discja jointed arm hav-- ing one end pivotally secured to the chairv frame andthe other end pivotally secured to the disc; means on the chair seat toVengage the jointed arm to move the arm and dise to wind the spring as the seat is swung thus described this invention,

from a vertical to a horizontal position; and

a latch on the'seat to engage the spring disc ytrunnions between the seat edge and chair frame; a disc rotatably mounted on the said trunnion adjacent the housing; a spiral spring mounted around the said trunnion between the disc and housing, said spring i having one end thereof secured to the trun and the opposite end secured to the nion discg'a jointed arm having-one end pivotally secured to the chair frame and the opposite end pivotally secured to the disc; means on the seat to move the housing into engagement with the jointed arm to actuate the arm and disc to wind the spring as the seat is swung from a vertical'to a horizontal position; vand means interposed between the wound spring and housing to swing the seat from ahorizontal to a vertical position.

1. In combination a chair frame having a seat trunnion arranged at corresponding points on each of thel opposite sides thereof; a seat having itsopposite side edges journaled onA the respective trunnions; a hous- 'ing rotatably mounted on one of the seat triinnions between the seat edge and chairy framega dise rotatably mounted on the said trunnion adjacent the housing; a spiral spring mounted around the said trunnion between the disc and housing, said spring having one end thereof secured to the disc;

'a jointed arm having one end pivotally secured to the chair frame and the opposite end pivotally secured. to the disc; means on the seat to move the housing into engagek ment lwith the jointed arm to actuate the arm and disc to wind the spring as the seat is swung from a vertical to a horizontal position; and a latch pivoted to the housing to engage the spring disc when the seatl and housing are in the horizontal position to transmit the unwiiiding actionv of theV spring from the disc. tothe housing and seat to raise the seat from the horizontal to a vertical position. Y y

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, California, this 26th day of November, 1926.

" BERNARD J. Driven. 

